AQO 893/22-27

Mr Eóin Tennyson
Alliance Party
Upper Bann

Tabled Date: 19/09/2024
Answered On Date: 02/10/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on his engagement with his counterparts in the UK and Ireland on the issue of water quality.

Answer:

I place the highest priority on engagement with both the UK and Ireland on this issue. Sharing learning, expertise and knowledge is crucial if we are to address the complex water quality issues affecting us all.

I have discussed water quality, including the situation at Lough Neagh, and the potential for cooperation, with my Irish Government counterparts at recent North South Ministerial Council Plenary and Environment Sectoral meetings and will continue to raise the issue at future meetings.

I had a very useful meeting with Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, last month where we discussed water quality at Lough Neagh.

I also had a valuable meeting with Fleur Anderson MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on 23 August to discuss water quality issues at Lough Neagh where I was able to stress the importance of ongoing financial support from the UK Government and HM Treasury.

I was pleased to raise the issue of water quality at the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which I attended in London on 16 September. The meeting was hosted by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and was attended by Ministers from Defra and the Welsh and Scottish Governments as well by officials from all four UK administrations.

I look forward to attending British-Irish Council Environment Sectoral Meetings and plan to ask that the issue of water quality is added to the agenda for a future meeting.